Unit Title: United States of MatterYear Level: 5 Teachers: Vicky B & Kent S-M
Unit rationale
Scientific Inquiry Concept: Solid, Liquid and Gases
Focus Question: How do the properties of solids, liquids & gases effect the decisions we make?
Enduring Understandings: Describe everyday situations where knowing about solid, liquids & gases become important for daily decisions. Design and conduct a science experiment. · Pose questions relating to investigations · Predict what might happen · Assist in the planning of methods to test these predictions
Contributing Questions: What are the observable properties of solids, liquids, gases (3 Qs)? How do they behave? How do we use the knowledge of solids, liquids & gases to make informed decisions? What is a hypothesis? Why do we need a hypothesis in scientific investigations? How would we design and conduct a fair test? Why do we need to conduct a fair test?
Australian Curriculum descriptors contained in this unit
Science Understanding
Science as a Human Endeavour
Science Inquiry Skills
Chemical Sciences * Solids, liquids and gases have different observable properties and behave in different ways.
Nature and development of science * Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena
Use and influence of science * Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions
Questioning and predicting · With guidance, pose questions to clarify practical problems or inform a scientific investigation, and predict what the findings of an investigation might be.
Planning and conducting · With guidance, select appropriate investigation methods to answer questions or solve problem · Use equipment and materials safely, identifying potential risks
Processing and analysing data and information · Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate
Communicating · Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts
How will you allow students to show what they know & what are you going to get students to do (or produce)?
Diagnostic assessment (pre-test) e.g. concept maps, Venn diagrams, flow charts, draw/label a diagram, make a model, hands-on activities, written response, experimental design, multiple choice, short answers, essay response, Bloom’s Taxonomy… (How will you assess prior knowledge and skills to determine whether students should be working on core, modified or extended outcomes and activities?)
* Video Questions – each student will individually answer a set of pretest questions using photo booth
Formative (in-process) assessment e.g. observations, homework, journal, work samples, anecdotal records, presentations, quiz, test… (Through what other evidence will students demonstrate achievement of the desired results?)
* Chemistry Capacity assessment matrix
* Class discussions
* Science journal entries
* Experiment Report
* Word wall – update word wall with definitions each week
* Filmed experiment with students elaborating on results
Summative (end-stage) assessment (Through what authentic performance task(s) will students demonstrate the desired understandings? By what criteria will ‘performance of understanding’ be judged? How will students reflect upon and self-assess their learning?)
* ‘Post-Test – written and drawn answers
Scientific Information Report – as specified by teachers
Before going much further with our planning we designed a video (photo-booth and keynote) pre-test that was designed to find out what the students know about solids, liquids and gasses as well as the scientific process of fair testing and what is a hypothesis. Here is an example...
Term 1
Light Fantastic - Primary Connections
- Seems a bit basic for students
- collection of resources
*Term 2 - planning documentation
Teachers: Vicky B & Kent S-M
Unit rationale
Describe everyday situations where knowing about solid, liquids & gases become important for daily decisions.
Design and conduct a science experiment.
· Pose questions relating to investigations
· Predict what might happen
· Assist in the planning of methods to test these predictions
What are the observable properties of solids, liquids, gases (3 Qs)?
How do they behave?
How do we use the knowledge of solids, liquids & gases to make informed decisions?
What is a hypothesis?
Why do we need a hypothesis in scientific investigations?
How would we design and conduct a fair test?
Why do we need to conduct a fair test?
Australian Curriculum descriptors contained in this unit
* Solids, liquids and gases have different observable properties and behave in different ways.
* Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena
Use and influence of science
* Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions
· With guidance, pose questions to clarify practical problems or inform a scientific investigation, and predict what the findings of an investigation might be.
Planning and conducting
· With guidance, select appropriate investigation methods to answer questions or solve problem
· Use equipment and materials safely, identifying potential risks
Processing and analysing data and information
· Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate
Communicating
· Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts
e.g. concept maps, Venn diagrams, flow charts, draw/label a diagram, make a model, hands-on activities, written response, experimental design, multiple choice, short answers, essay response, Bloom’s Taxonomy…
(How will you assess prior knowledge and skills to determine whether students should be working on core, modified or extended outcomes and activities?)
e.g. observations, homework, journal, work samples, anecdotal records, presentations, quiz, test…
(Through what other evidence will students demonstrate achievement of the desired results?)
* Class discussions
* Science journal entries
* Experiment Report
* Word wall – update word wall with definitions each week
* Filmed experiment with students elaborating on results
(Through what authentic performance task(s) will students demonstrate the desired understandings?
By what criteria will ‘performance of understanding’ be judged?
How will students reflect upon and self-assess their learning?)
Scientific Information Report – as specified by teachers
Before going much further with our planning we designed a video (photo-booth and keynote) pre-test that was designed to find out what the students know about solids, liquids and gasses as well as the scientific process of fair testing and what is a hypothesis. Here is an example...